Chris ‘Jesus’ Ferguson On Verge Of Tying World Series Of Poker Record

The notorious Chris “Jesus” Ferguson had 12 cashes at the 2017 World Series of Poker through Wednesday, just one away from the record for a single summer. While he will likely tie or break the record (only 51 events have been completed so far), four other players had double digit cashes and could pass Ferguson. Mike Leah also had 12 through Wednesday, while Ryan Hughes and John Racener had 11.

About five years ago the U.S. government said that Ferguson was one of a handful of men behind a “global Ponzi scheme” run through the Full Tilt Poker platform. About $300 million in player funds were gone when the site went defunct, according to the government. The process of compensating victims of Full Tilt was completed just this month.

Players were repaid thanks to PokerStars acquiring Full Tilt and its assets from the government.

Ferguson settled his civil case in 2013. Ferguson handed over an undisclosed amount from an account at Citibank, as well as an additional $2.35 million. The government was seeking $42 million from Ferguson. According to court papers, he maintained that he was "unaware of any wrongful activity at Full Tilt or that the company had become unable to satisfy its player account liabilities.”

The five-time bracelet winner was never charged criminally. He has never talked publicly about the case or the allegations.

The 12 cashes this summer put him one behind the 13 that Roland Israelashvili accumulated last year. It should be noted that the WSOP has an all-time high 74 bracelet events on the schedule this year. Ferguson’s results this summer bring his lifetime cashes at the WSOP to 86, which is tied for sixth all-time.

Only one of his 12 cashes was a final table.

Ferguson was also second in the WSOP Player of the Year race, trailing Ray Henson.

Last summer was Ferguson’s first time playing at the WSOP since 2010. His Full Tilt Poker fell into hot water in April 2011, less than two months before that year’s series.

For more coverage from the summer series, visit the 2017 WSOP landing page complete with a full schedule, news, player interviews and event recaps.

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